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About
I am a cognitive scientist who is interested in language, mind, and embodied cognition. My research utilizes quantitative and qualitative methodologies. I hold a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and have extensive experience with human research participants. My area of expertise is interdisciplinary but I often work within Cognitive Psychology and Linguistics Departments or in UX/EdTech roles.
Home: About Me
My Experience
Roles & Responsibilities
May, 2019-present
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Umeå University
As a Postdoctoral Researcher in Umeå, I am developing a digital tool for ESL teachers to employ which systematically introduces prepositions, notably problematic even for advanced speakers. This project is jointly funded by The Department of Language Studies and HumLab (a technical environment specifically for digital humanities).
2019-2020
Fulbright Fellowship, Federal University of Minas Gerais
Funded by Fulbright, I was able to conduct research centered in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and also to work with indigenous groups in remote areas. The project is titled,
"In the Womb of the Amazon/No Ventre da Floresta Amazôniqa:
A Cross-Linguistic Comparison of Mother Earth Metaphors in the US and Brazil"
June 2015 - present
Subject Matter Expert in Statistics, Acrobatiq
Work Funded by Bill & Melinda Gates. Design of dynamic media elements and adaptive assessments for a web-based Probability and Statistics course. I also assist with content issues, questions or concerns raised by users on a regular basis.
2012-2013
Psycholinguistic & Creative Coordinator
Fundamentally redesigned a large online ESL curriculum. Designed the lexicon using corpus data and designed online vocabulary tool to streamline lesson development.
Redesigned/launched product that attracted $65M in additional Series D funding, creating 1100+ multimedia lessons for use by 100k+ Latin American students
Improved educational practices utilizing empirically based insights
Complete oversight of online video series with a budget of $500,000. Supervised all aspects of the creative development process, script development, filming and post production.
Defined, coordinated, and communicated organizational goals at all levels, including corporate, director, team leader, and lesson developer level. Responsible for interviewing and hiring 25 team members.
Home: Experience
Home: Projects
Publications
Peer Reviewed Literature
Performing Metaphorical Creativity across Modes and Contexts
(Eds. L. Hildago-Downing & B. Kraljev)
Metaphor in multimodal creativity
2020
Journal of Pragmatics
Diving into the Wreck: Can people resist allegorical meaning?
2019
Signo
2019
Gonna be on my fucking period in Boomtown, souuuunndd thanks Mother Nature: Using twitter to find multimodal creativity and embodied instant metaphors
In Expressive Minds and Artistic Creations: Studies in Cognitive Poetics
(Ed. S. Csabi)
Cognitive Poetics in Allegorical Experience
2018
Metaphor and the Social World
2013
Crazy, creative metaphors: Crazy metaphorical mind?
Lodz Papers in Pragmatics
2011
Inferring pragmatic messages from metaphor
Textus
Art is the sex of the imagination: Explaining the meanings of XYZ metaphors
2010
Allegory studies: Contemporary perspectives
(Ed. V. Briliak)
Allegory and bodily imagination
In Press
Dance Data, Cognition, and Multimodal Communication (Eds. C. Fernendez, V. Evola, & C. Ribeiro)
Understanding non-verbal metaphor: A cognitive approach to metaphor in dance
in press
Home: Volunteer Work
Academics
Learning and Living
Ph.D.,
University of California, Santa Cruz
Department of Psychology, Cognitive Area
“Diving into the wreck: Embodied experience in the interpretation of allegory”
2015
M.S.,
University of California, Santa Cruz
Department of Psychology, Cognitive Area
“Does metaphor influence thought? Linguistic relativity in a cross-linguistic context”
2011
B.A.,
University of Central Florida
Department of Psychology
Research Assistant, Human Computer Interaction Lab
August 2007 - May 2011
Home: Education
Official Recognitions
Honorable Mentions
Frank X. Barron Award for Creativity Research
2012
This award, named after notable creativity researcher Frank X. Barron, honors superior research contributions to a psychology of aesthetics, creativity and the arts. My nomination for this award was based on work that was subsequently published in a paper titled:
"Crazy, creative metaphors:
Crazy metaphorical mind?"
Award for Excellence in Teaching
2015
Selected for my positive contributions in teaching classes in cognitive, developmental, clinical and humanistic psychology.
Fulbright US Scholar
2018
Fulbright is described as "the most prestigious international exchange program in the world", supported by the U.S. Congress and by partner nations. The program actively seeks out individuals of achievement and potential who represent the full diversity of their respective societies and selects nominees through open, merit-based competitions. A project on Mother Earth metaphors in rural/indigenous communities was funded through Fulbright.
Pro Futura Scientia Nomination
2020
It is not possible to apply to the Pro Futura programme. Instead, specific universities and university colleges are invited to nominate up to four researchers per higher education institution. Umeå University nominated me for my research proposal titled, "Turning Twitter green: Shifting behaviors and beliefs in the midst of the climate crisis."
Home: Recognitions
Home: Skills
"Do not go where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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